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Thought this was ironic to appear the same day as yoyur article. WRS
For immediate release
October 12, 2010
Media contact: Joelle Jordan 202-288-3241
IRS Oversight Board Pleased with Boost in IRS Employee Engagement
(Washington, DC) The IRS Oversight Board met on October 4th and reviewed the results of this year’s IRS employee engagement survey and the status of electronic filing of tax returns. The Board also discussed progress on the Customer Account Data Engine 2 (CADE 2) project and long-term opportunities to fully capture all data from individual tax returns as electronic filing continues to increase.
Previously, the IRS Oversight Board approved a long-term performance goal for the IRS, by 2012, to be in the top quartile of 14 large federal agencies in the category of employee engagement, based on the Office of Personnel Management Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (EVS). This year, the IRS score for employee engagement is third highest of 14 large federal agencies. This score places the IRS in the first quartile – a jump from its third quartile position in 2008.
The results of the survey also gave the IRS a boost in the Best Places to Work rankings, rising from about the 42nd percentile in 2008 to the 65th percentile in 2010 for all sub-agencies. The Best Places to Work ranking, published by the Partnership for Public Service, is based on three questions from the EVS that focus on employee satisfaction with their job and with the organization.
“The IRS Oversight Board is pleased with the results from this year’s survey indicating an increase in IRS employee engagement,” said Board Operations Committee Chairman Bob Tobias. “We believe that a more engaged workforce is a more productive workforce.”
The IRS also reported an increase in electronic filing of individual tax returns, which, based on returns received to date, is up to 70.7% from 67.5% last year. Online filing from home increased by nearly 8% over last year, while the percentage of those filing electronically through a tax preparer remained steady. Business e-filed returns increased by 9%; however, this only represents about a quarter of business tax returns filed. The Board will examine the 2010 e-filing results and their impact on the IRS’ 2012 goal of 80% electronic filing of all major tax returns in its Annual e-Filing Report to Congress.
The IRS also reported to the Board that it continues to meet its schedule on the CADE 2 project and expects to achieve the important Transition State 1 milestone in January 2012. Achievement of this important milestone will result in implementation of a new relational database and daily processing of taxpayer accounts.
The IRS and the Board also discussed long-term opportunities for the IRS to advance its paper processing strategy so that it can more cost-effectively capture data in electronic format from individual tax returns filed on paper. Several states use 2D bar-coding for this purpose, and the IRS briefed the Board on the benefits and costs associated with implementing this technology.
Finally, the Board met with representatives of the Government Accountability Office and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to share perspectives on major challenges and opportunities facing the IRS, both at present and over the next decade.
The IRS Oversight Board will next meet on December 16, 2010 in Washington, DC.
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Last Updated: October 12, 2010

This whole thing has gone rogue. The Republicrits have us looking so bad they just assume put a stake in our hearts or better yet, burn us at the stake like a witch. I think this whole thing restarted when McCain was running for President and it seems ever since then, other Republicans running for office have used federal workers (not "the government") as pawns once again as if we arent real people; that we dont bleed, that we arent people...arent real people with faces, children, grandparents, etc. The worst part is, the average american isnt in the trenches of government. There are so many tentacles to government. Whenever the public doesnt like what "government" does or doesnt do for them, then the face of a federal worker becomes the scapegoat and not the politicians that actually made the laws that we are forced to act on. Are there things in government that can change? Sure! Government is an ever changing entity that evolves depending who is in office, who our congress is ,etc. "Government" (meaning those that make the laws and acts-not the federal worker) are always in pursuit to make changes in government for whatever reasons. It is the job of federal workers to carry out those changes-which occur at the drop of a dime. Reduce forces! Increase forces! Try this new technology! No! Go back to the old way! Set up this new program! Account for everything! Cut everything! But guess what, every time our government (those that make laws and acts) changes, we muct adapt. We either need to hire more people to accommodate every new law, or reduce. Everything a federal worker does, is in response to what lawmakers (thats right, the ever evolving door of voted in fools on both sides) want or doesnt want because they dont like or like something or they do it to get a vote. How much money and sacrifice of public services do you think it costs to get that vote? Public gets outraged because they arent getting that Social Security check. Outcries after outcries, demands that we change RIGHT NOW! Federal workers are used to these changes because its all politics and that changes every 2, 4 or 8 yrs depending how the public votes. It costs money to make the government big and it costs money to also make government small such as BRAC (Base realignment). After spending time and effort and hiring people to accommodate what the public wants, federal workers,with marching orders in hand, often have to shut programs down that the public wants or ramp back up again depending what the public wants. We get big, we get small and no matter what, the federal worker takes their orders not only from Democrats, but also from Republicans, for which neither side saves a dime contrary to what they tell you. It seems never do the lawmakers take a hit (and they should) for the laws they make that causes anger in the public, instead they sheepishly permit the image of an average joe federal worker to be a punching bag for their conduct, for their laws, for their decisions. So mark this day (or sometime in the near future) that when we are laid off, furloughed and have our pay freezes (which doesnt bother me a bit) because of reasons beyond our control as a worker, in a few years when the civilian side of the house is happy as clams that they are superior in pay and perks again, that we as federal workers will do the same to you: we will demand that you take a pay cut, that you reduce your benefits, allow your congressman or senator to throw you under the bus as complete morons, insist that you dont get raises and that we dont care about your family as much as you dont care about ours. We will call you pond scum, and we will say that you are lazy good for nothing losers. We will make you responsible for the politicians you voted in. Sound crazy and insane? Well how the heck do you think we feel?